Archive for the ‘Fantasy’ Category

M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Gods of Chaos (Daughter of Chaos #2) by Jen McConnel

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

.

Gods of Chaos

The gods of chaos cannot be trusted.

When Darlena Agara declared to follow Red Magic last fall, she had no idea what she was getting into. Since then, however, she’s had a crash course in danger, deceit, and destruction. In an effort to gain an ally, Darlena heads to Scotland in search of another Red Witch, but she didn’t count on the new obstacles (and crazy gods) that await her.

.

add to goodreads

Title: Gods of Chaos (Daughter of Chaos #2)
Publication date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Jen McConnel

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

Jen McConnel

Jen McConnel now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. When she isn’t crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches writing composition at a community college. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.

.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

.

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

(Winners will receive their book on release day)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

.

Button.

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!

My 56 for this week is from

The Christmas Dragon

by Ruthanne Reid

20809144

 

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

My 56

A wall of solid blackness hid our path, like curtains, but it didn’t feel solid. My eyes played tricks on me – solid black against solid black, impossible to see, and definitely not products of my imagination.

We hadn’t been closed off by a barrier. That was a whole dark world out there, some new dimension I didn’t know.

~~~

Synopsis

All Katie Lin wants is to get away from her family: from the magic, from the mayhem, and from the never-ending war. Unfortunately, someone has other ideas, and sends her a box. A box that jumps.

The tiny fire hazard inside may just force her back to Wales – and right into the path of a dragon war, the Crow King, and at least one reluctant elf prince. Sometimes, running away just doesn’t work as planned.

~~~

This is such a fun little story! And I have another one too, Strings.

I’ll be reviewing them for a tour in a couple of months so I can’t tell you much about them.

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Leave your link and I’ll drop by your 56.

~~~

Have you joined TSU yet?

Click on the widget to friend and follow me!

tsu-logo

M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Nobody’s Goddess (The Never Veil #1)
by Amy McNulty

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

.

Nobody's Goddess

.

In a village of masked men, each loves only one woman and must follow the commands of his “goddess” without question. A woman may reject the only man who will love her if she pleases, but she will be alone forever. And a man must stay masked until his goddess returns his love—and if she can’t or won’t, he remains masked forever.

Where the rest of her village celebrates this mystery that binds men and women together, seventeen year old Noll is just done with it. She’s lost all her childhood friends as they’ve paired off, but the worst blow was when her closest companion, Jurij, finds his goddess in Noll’s own sister. Desperate to find a way to break this ancient spell, Noll instead discovers why no man has ever loved her: she is in fact the goddess of the mysterious lord of the village, a Byronic man who refuses to let Noll have her right as a woman to spurn him and who has the power to fight the curse. Thus begins a dangerous game between the two: the choice of woman versus the magic of man. And the stakes are no less than freedom and happiness, life and death—and neither Noll nor the veiled man is willing to lose.

.

add to goodreads

Title: Nobody’s Goddess (The Never Veil #1)
Publication date: April 21, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Amy McNulty

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---About-the-Author

Amy McNulty

Amy McNulty is a freelance writer and editor from Wisconsin with an honors degree in English. She was first published in a national scholarly journal (The Concord Review) while in high school and currently spends her days alternatively writing on business and marketing topics and primarily crafting stories with dastardly villains and antiheroes set in fantastical medieval settings.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

.

.

Chapter-by-Chapter-header---Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

(Winners will receive their book on release day)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Button.

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

Elf Hills TourBanner_ElfHills

As children, haven’t we all wished our imaginary worlds were real?

Run with Linda. Run as fast and as far as you can and perhaps you’ll find that world.

Please enjoy the guest post by Author S.S. Dudley.

Catch a glimpse inside Elf Hills.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

~~~

Guest Post by Author S.S. Dudley

The Genesis of “Elf Hills”

Preschool. I opened the heavy glass door and entered the colorfully decorated room. A reading area, books and cushions, occupied a corner off to my left. Miniature tables for miniature people filled the center of the room, the chairs neatly organized. Around the tables, shelves overflowed with paper, crayons and other arts and crafts materials. It was quiet. The happy, busy preschoolers were outside in the play yard, scampering hither-thither.

An easel stood in the entryway. It presented the day’s activities to parents coming to reclaim their small people. On it hung a chart entitled, “If I had a superpower, I would…” Below, next to names, was the list of superpowers. Be super strong. Be invisible. Fly. My eyes stopped on one: run really fast. I smiled at the name next to it. Sofia.

That’s my girl.

A disclaimer—I am 95% certain we had not yet seen the Pixar film The Incredibles (in which the boy’s superpower is to run fast). I had, though, been running my daughter around in a jogging stroller since she was three months. We routinely did sprint workouts together in a grassy area near her preschool. I am no pro runner, very amateur, but I do enjoy running very much. It made me smile to think that this was rubbing off in some small dose.

And it gave me an idea.

Recently I had begun to think about writing a book. I wanted to write something for Sofia, something novel sized, but also fun and engaging for her and me.

I began to think about a girl who could run really, really fast. But I didn’t have a story. Yet.

That came while I was on a run in a nature preserve near our house. I began to wonder what a young girl who, like my daughter, still believed in fairies, but who also could run incredibly well, would discover if she were to wander the mostly wild mountains of the Coastal Range in Northern California. Might she not come across something magical out there?

I shan’t disclose too much. Read the book if you’re curious. Elf Hills is about a girl with a prodigious talent for running who begins to suspect that there is something magical about the hills behind her home. And she is determined to discover what it is and who lives there.

I will say that I can see the hills of the book from my office window. I have to stand in just the right place to see them, but I know they are there. My family and I have gone for numerous hikes in those hills (small mountains, really) and it always astounds me how remote they can feel—only 60 miles from the bustle of the Bay, with its millions of inhabitants (San Francisco, Berkeley, etc.).

Elf Hills was born from my desire to know this girl, Linda, who could run so well. Why? Why did she love running so much? Was she just talented, or was it something else? The story grew the more I wondered about the mysteriously uninhabited hills. What magic could hide there? Who might hide there? And why? As I wrote, new characters appeared. Nugu, Linda’s cousin, for one. He loves all things reptilian and fantasizes about having his own dragon. But he is skeptical of Linda’s stories. Might he change his mind? He should, but he is getting into science. And other characters—like Biergo, the impish gnome intent on tripping Linda—joined the narrative, taking it in directions I never initially expected.

I recall that C. S. Lewis started on Narnia with only an image of Aslan, the lion, in mind. He wanted to know more about him. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe was born from this desire. The mustard seed for me was a girl who runs fast, planted in some dry, dusty, lonely hills. It was a long, hard, arduous process bringing Elf Hills to fruition. The story became too big for a single book, so I had to split it up and rework it numerous times. Fortunately, this means the sequel, Fairy Trees, is well on its way to being finished. And there will be more to follow.

It amazes me how something so small, so simple, can grow so much. Elf Hills started from a couple of simple notions, which grew as I folded in elements from my own interests and from the geography around our home. All the time driven to discover the story and share it with Sofia. Bringing a book to life is a process—not unlike raising children. It reminds me to enjoy the ride.

~~~~~

Elf Hills

by S.S. Dudley

Elf Hills Cover_ElfHills

 

BLURB:

Something strange, something magical, is going on in the dusty hills behind the small town of Villaloma. Yet each time Linda Peters puts on her running shoes and sets out to find the enchanted kingdom she imagines—full of dancing elves, unicorns, and more—something stops her. And with school starting soon, she only has a few more chances to really search the hills.

While Linda’s frustration and doubt grow, her cousin, Nugu, looks for answers in his books and wonders if maybe, just maybe, Linda’s stories are for real.

The day finally arrives when Linda can run far, the day she is sure she will find her magic city. But when she and Nugu feel their goal must lie just beyond the next hill, they only find more hill.

Is it all a figment of an over-active imagination; a wistful fantasy?

Or is there truly something magical in those hills that only the strong of heart—and leg—can discover?

~~~~~~

Excerpts from Elf Hills © 2014 by S. S. Dudley

From the Prologue:

This fairy tale, as you might have guessed already, takes place on a hill. Or, rather, on many hills and a mountain or two in Northern California, near what people call the Great Valley. One hill in particular stands out, though, because that is where everything started. It was a nice hill; well rounded, not too high, not too low. It was distinctly a hill, snuggled up against a mountain like a nursing cub to its resting mother. For the most part this hill was well-dressed with dark green oak trees and tall grasses, usually yellowed and dry except for the four or five wet months of the year. Along one side, a seasonal creek slipped out and down into the plain. Here the vegetation—red-stemmed manzanita, prickly blackberry bushes, and other shrubs—was thick and difficult to move through.

From afar, the hill was not remarkable; it had many siblings stretching to the north and south as far as the eye could see. This hill was special, though. For one, a strange—some said magical—copse of trees stood near the base of the hill where the creek emerged. These trees were short, had long, dark-green leaves, and bore bright yellow fruit that, if eaten, were said to imbue a person with the strength of ten men. For another, the hill was haunted. On certain nights of the year a white light would shine from the very top of the hill. It was brighter than the brightest star; brighter even than a full moon, perhaps, and it cast long shadows across the plain. The first people that lived in the area told many stories about that hill, the light, and the spirits that lived there.

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Elf Hills AuthorPic_ElfHills

  1. S. Dudley grew up in Wyoming, USA, an avid reader and lover of the outdoors. He studied at the University of Wyoming and the University of Illinois. He started his first book (an epic fantasy hand-written in with a blue fountain pen…) when he was 13, but never finished it. At some point (as his mother recently reminded him), he decided that he needed to go do something (like get a job) for a while before he could, or should, write. He did, and spent time in Colombia, Panamá, Antarctica and the dark recesses of large science buildings on college campuses. That done, he now writes, lives and runs in Northern California with his wife and two children.
  2. He can be found at http://www.ssdudley.com, http://www.facebook.com/author.ssdudley and on twitter at @SS_dudley.

The ebook price is $0.99, paperback $8.99. 

  Kindle version and paperback are available from Amazon HERE.

 ePub, PDF, Kindle and other versions are available from Smashwords here: Smashwords

 Folks who sign up for the author’s newsletter at my web-site can have the ebook free.

  Folks who purchase through the author’s web-site (Kindle, ePub, PDF; via payhip.com) and share their purchase via social media can have it 50% off.

  iBooks and B&N coming soon.

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

$50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.

The more you comment, the more chances to win.

Goddess Fish Promotions

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

horseshoe photo: Horseshoe horseshoe.jpg

One of my goals for 2015 is to read and review the books I’ve won in giveaways and books I’ve picked up for free from Amazon. So I’m starting now.

Today I’m sharing two books.

I won Ice Massacre in a giveaway some time ago.

The other book, Evil Beach, was a free book from Amazon.

You can click on the covers to buy them.

~~~~

Ice Massacre

by Tiana Warner

22718724

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

My Review

How could I resist a book about mermaids, especially some deadly ones.

This isn’t a whimsical, romantic tale of beautiful mermaids. Yes, they can be beautiful, but when they  change to feed, their true nature is unmasked and they become monsters with red eyes, scaly skin, and teeth like pointed daggers.

No one knows why the mermaids came to the island of Eriana Kwai or why they started to attack the sailors. For many years now, the islanders have sent out ships filled with warriors to try to destroy the mermaids. Year after year the ships don’t return and the mermaids continue to rule the seas, cutting them off from the bounties of the deep, forcing them into poverty and desperation.

No matter what they tried, even training the men to fight blind to resist the hypnotic eyes of the sirens, fails.  Then, what was tossed out as a futile suggestion was implemented and a new ship set sail, armed with twenty young girls, maiden warriors that will not fall to the sirens call of the mermaids.

All hope rests on these maidens. Hope they will succeed. Hope the fishermen can return to the seas. Hope for freedom once again.

I read this book in one evening, completely captured by the characters and action.

A young girl, defying the edicts of her people, ventures to the beach and rescues a young female mermaid. The two become secret friends until a betrayal brings Meela back to earth. These creatures killed her brother, killed so many brave young men. They are a parasite that must be destroyed.

Meela is wise for her years and becomes a fierce warrior. When they maidens set sail to the the mermaids nest, I was confident they would succeed. Until the first encounter.

These mermaids are smart, working together and using the seas resources to battle the humans, and they are relentless.

Some of the descriptions of their change from alluring to lethal really chilled me and the battles were bloody and cold-hearted on both sides, the seas red with blood There’s no room for mercy or humanity against them.

evil mermaids photo: damn,thats soo hott! Mermaids-2.jpg

There’s emotional conflict too. Meela isn’t heartless and is torn between protecting her people and what she can do to change things.

As the girls battle the mermaids, they also battle each other. Being trapped on a ship together in the vast ocean, they are bound to clash and leaderships will be challenged.

 Girls become women become warriors in a bloody battle for survival.

The war is ongoing and I’m looking forward to more high seas action.

5 Stars

~~~

Synopsis

A mermaid’s supernatural beauty serves one purpose: to lure a sailor to his death.

The Massacre is supposed to bring peace to Eriana Kwai. Every year, the island sends its warriors to battle these hostile sea demons. Every year, the warriors fail to return. Desperate for survival, the island must decide on a new strategy. Now, the fate of Eriana Kwai lies in the hands of twenty battle-trained girls and their resistance to a mermaid’s allure.

Eighteen-year-old Meela has already lost her brother to the Massacre, and she has lived with a secret that’s haunted her since childhood. For any hope of survival, she must overcome the demons of her past and become a ruthless mermaid killer.

For the first time, Eriana Kwai’s Massacre warriors are female, and Meela must fight for her people’s freedom on the Pacific Ocean’s deadliest battleground.

~~~

Evil Beach

by Anthony Renfro

23612003

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

My Review

This is written as a story in a story.

The author opens with an old man sitting in his rocking chair sharing a story with his two grandsons. A story about two young boys and an evil beach.

Seth and Junior stumble upon a cave, and being boys, they dare each other to enter. Inside, it is dark and creepy, but as they continue further into the cave they see light and step through to an isolated strip of pristine beach.

beach cave photo: Cave cave.jpg

At first, they are thrilled to have their own secret beach but when they turn around, something written on the rocks invites and warns them. It’s almost like a dare, so of course the boys attempt to do what it says, building something in the sand.

What seemed like a lark became their worst nightmare and and soon they had to return to the cave and the beach, pursued by something out of their nightmares.

I’m very much into character driven stories and am amazed at how well the author developed his in so few words. The old man and grandsons didn’t even have names, yet I could see them sitting on that porch, the boys rapt as their grandfather spun his tale.

And Seth and Junior, the two boys in the tale, reacted just like you’d expect them too. They believe they are invincible and grow up fast when they discover they aren’t.

A well written short story that captured me from beginning, to middle, to end.

The author ‘pulled my leg’ with his twist at the end, tying the two tales together.

4 Stars

~~~

Synopsis

A short story about two boys who discover a hidden beach and the evil deadly secrets that lie within its soft white grains of sand.

~~~

Scary is as scary does!

Happy New year and thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew.

Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend by Cheryl Carpinello

Title: Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend * Author: Cheryl Carpinello * Publication Date: March 30, 2009 * Publisher: Outskirts Press * Pages: 122 * Recommended Age: 7+

Summary (Amazon):

At the dawn of Camelot, one young girl is about to take her place beside the greatest king in England’s history.

She is a mere child of twelve. But in these medieval days, this is the age when childish things must be put away and greater responsibilities accepted–all in preparation for a betrothal of marriage.

For young Lady Guinevere, on the advent of her thirteenth Birth Day, the whole idea is quite unbearable. After all, what could be better than spending her youth playing with her best friend Cedwyn, roaming the grounds around the castle looking for mythical creatures or hunting rabbits?

However, the wizard Merlyn–her teacher and friend–knows that destiny has a way of catching up with a person. His arrival sets in motion a series of events that will lead Guinevere to her destiny whether she is ready for it or not.

** Finalist Pre-Teen Literature: Dan Poynter’s 2011 Global Ebook Awards **

Amazon (U.S. Print) * Amazon (UK) * Amazon (CA) * Amazon (FR)

Amazon (IT) * Amazon (DE) * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

 

The Buzz About the Book

“The story is a nice balance between action, elements of magic and fantasy, and important life lessons, all woven within the historical context of medieval times. This was an enjoyable and educational read and I would recommend Guinevere to tween girls and boys.” ~ Mother Daughter Book Reviews

“Cheryl Carpinello’s ‘Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend’, is a unique introduction into Arthurian Legend focusing on the life of the young princess. It is perfect for tweens interested in this genre. While most young people aren’t royalty, they will likely relate with the emotions associated with wanting independence while struggling with the responsibility that comes with it. ~ Vine Voice, Amazon Customer

“‘Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend’ is an interesting and well-written tale told in a way that will appeal to middle school aged readers, especially girls but boys too, who can relate to the idea of wanting independence yet struggling with the obligations that come with it. The euphemistic “darn it” is used a few times, and there are some references to drinking ale. But those who really like to read the Arthurian legends should enjoy this fun peek into Guinevere’s early life. In addition, it illustrates the important lesson that situations may arise in life when we must choose doing our duty rather than just doing what we want.” ~ Wayne S. Walker for Home School Book Review, Amazon

“An interesting read for the 8- to 14-year-old, this book skillfully integrates vocabulary and information about life in medieval Europe without verging on preachy or textbook-like. While it will most definitely interest the bookish child with an unquenchable thirst for history, it will also amuse those with a penchant for adventure– or unicorns. ~ Thomas, Amazon

“…an outstanding job detailing the escapades of the Princess and her young friend, Cedwyn. Carpinello keeps you turning those pages with her descriptions of the dangers and adventures that are ribboned throughout the entire story. Wizards, unicorns, and dragons are a few of the mythical creatures you will encounter in this enchanting book. I am excited to give this to several of my grandchildren to read! ~ Penny Estelle, Amazon

“Refreshing and fanciful, a perspective on Guinevere that people don’t consider, what with the focus on Arthur’s childhood. The rural homespun castle and kitchen are illuminating of the time. Guinevere’s adventurousness, as a girl who will someday be surrounded by courageous knights, is well-imagined. The detail is delightful at times. Storyline with bards and Merlyn is clever and in the tradition of the Arthurian legends. ~ Katherine L. Holmes, Amazon

About Author Cheryl Carpinello

Cheryl Carpinello AuthorI love the Ancient and Medieval Worlds! As a retired English teacher, I hope to inspire young readers to read more through my Quest Books. Please follow me on this adventure. Hook up with me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Google.

Also please visit my other sites: Carpinello’s Writing Pages where I interview childrens/MG/Tween/YA authors; my home website Beyond Today Educator, and The Quest Books where I’ve teamed up with Fiona Ingram from South Africa and Wendy Leighton-Porter of England/France/Abu Dhabi to enable readers to find all of our Ancient and Medieval quest books in one place.

Beyond the Educator * Carpinello’s Writing Pages

Facebook * Goodreads * Twitter * Google+

~~~~

Book Blast Giveaway

 

Amazon 25 gift card

Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash prize (winner’s choice)

Contest ends: December 26, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author Cheryl Carpinello and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send an email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

MDBR Book Promotion Services

~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways click on the  Southern Christmas Charm below.

christmas sleigh photo: Christmas abulb22.gif

.
.
I’m happy to spotlight Happily (N)Ever After
This is an anthology written by numerous authors.
Some you might recognize. Some may be new to you.
A.M. Hart, one of the authors, has a few things to tell you about herself.
This is a fun way to sample the authors writing and have a fun time doing it.
I’ll be reading these!
.
.
Happily (N)ever After- An Anthology
Authors- Aramey, Emilie E. Faye, C.L. Foster, A.M. Hart, Allana Kephart, K.B. Mathias, E.R. Rada, David Roraff
Publication Date- November 25th, 2014
 
Sometimes you are lucky enough to dodge a bullet…but sometimes it strikes straight to the heart without an exit wound. It rattles around, leaks out our trust, and brings us to our knees making us wonder; why the %&$@ did I date you!?
 
From the darkness of emotional and/or physical pains we crawled out and eventually found a way to dust ourselves off and carry on with life.
 
So let these stories serve as a guide, that all that glitters is not always gold. That the felling of the hairs rising on the back of your neck is a warning, a primal scream to let us know that some things are not as they seem. Trust your gut. Yes, some people are worth fighting for but others have somehow tricked us into seeing a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
 
With hindsight fully engaged, we can now see the clarity of our past and appreciate the lessons we learned in our very own happily never after.
 
  

(more…)

I’m so happy to share Rehab Is For Witches. I’ve had to wait for my stop on the tour to introduce you to these authors and their witches.

There’s snark and snortable humor galore in these pages. Plus some sweet and some steamy romance.

Beware the villain, a bad one indeed.

Come meet the witches of Little Raven. Discover their secrets. Find out why they ended up in rehab.

~~~

 Rehab is for Witches

Anthology

Various Authors

23480947

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Published By- SideStreet Cookie Publishing

Publication Date- October 31st, 2014

My review

Six authors. Six witches. And so much trouble brewing in their cauldrons.

Rehab is for Witches is just what it says. A place for witches to go when they misuse their magick. When the dark magick seduces them until they’re hooked.

There is no way I can pick a favorite story or a favorite character. Each story was so good and all of the characters came alive.

There was so much funny, so much sad, so much bad, and so much more. I loved this book.

A Diary Full of Names

Dierdre (Die for short) landed in rehab for selling bad love spells. Bear is like her probation officer. If I had to choose a favorite character, both of these would be at the top of the list.

The way her heart beats faster whenever he’s around, the way he ‘looks’ at her, listens to her, and the way he makes her blush when he teases her. These two make me feel happy.

Die is frustrated. No magick. It wasn’t her fault the penis exploded, yet she winds up in rehab with all of the other naughty witches.

Closet Full of Dreams

Behind those sunglasses and gloves hides Catherine. Sent to rehab for loving the dark side. For embracing the dark magick, for using it to control. It’s all about control with her.

Oran charms her. But Catherine is hesitant. He seems too good to be true.

And what’s with the waiter, Jorolf? He’s not a waiter, he’s something else, and he warns Catherine to watch out for Oran.

Full of attitude and bearing the scars of taking power that she shouldn’t, Catherine is half herself, half something less, or maybe more.

Cauldron Full of Goodbyes

Trista and Angus. Both duped. Both used and cast aside by someone. Someone so dark and malignant. They share that same someone.

Trista is in rehab for something really foul. She helped steal magick from a coven of witches. Drained them of their power. Not for herself though.

Angus needs her help. He’s appeals to her, hiding his true purpose. Playing on her guilt.

He did bad because of his mother. She did bad in spite of her mother.

Why did Trista’s mother throw away her magic? Maybe she should too.

His mother stole his magick. Can he get it back?

A Trunk Full of Peril

I bet a lot of people judge Circe by her looks. Lots of piercings and that blue hair. Maybe it’s her cover. A way to keep people away. She’s still in shock from a horrible loss.

Her parole office, Hadrian, wants to be so much more.

Her addiction still strong, can Circe resist the call?

Caring for her more than he should, will Hadrian set his job aside, or will he turn her in to save her?

A Basement Full of Secrets

Finally. I get to know what’s up with Gertie and her knitting needles. She’s weird but sweet.

And her love affair was tragic. Finally reunited with her childhood sweetheart, she lost him again.

Will she use her magick, her ability to bring the dead back, to have Mason again?

Should she?

A Suitcase Full of Revenge

Robie plays with fire, literally and figuratively. That’s why she stays at rehab.

She also knows things. Things about her father that could ruin his chances in the mayoral race.

Her decision on whether to expose her father is hers alone to make, as Jasper bailed on her.

Now they have come together to save someone. Can she trust Jasper? Will he bail on her again?

A Photo Full of Justice

At last we come to the end. Where all of the authors write together, each bringing their character to the grand finale.

This is where you meet the true villain, the one who can’t be mentioned.

All of the miscreants band together to face off against the dastardly foe who’s been stealing their magic. What a perfect villain.

This whole book was fantastic. Little Raven, a town for witches.

Each author gave their characters a strong voice, powerful personalities.

The therapy sessions were fun. That’s how each character is introduced as they tell why they were sent to rehab.

The snark, the dialogue, the sexy scenes.  The many quotable moments. It all charmed me.

Then the ending, which came to soon. I would love to read more about all of the characters. I’d like to know where they go from here. Do they get a happily ever after? Maybe some of them relapse. I want, I need more.

5 Stars

~~~

Blurb-

Welcome to Little Raven: an unsullied, beautiful woodland hamlet in the heart of the Midwest. The sort of place where furry creatures romp about and spend their days bursting into song.

Actually, that’s a giant pack of lies.

Little Raven is a town…for witches.

And some of those witches might have bent the rules. A teensy bit. When six magical miscreants dabble with black magic, they end up together at Incantations, the town’s rehab center for witches gone awry. It’s a slap on the wrist for naughty witches. Pretty much a daycare center so they don’t wander off and start turning people into newts on a whim. Each witch must work through her addiction to black magic, and follow the tenets designed to lead them back to the path of the straight and narrow, as boring as that sounds. Even if following the tenets sucks worse than a group round of kum-bay-ya. Which sucks. Horribly.

We will admit we are powerless over magic—that our lives have become unmanageable.

We will make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of the Goddess as we understand Her.

We will make a searching and fearless moral and magical inventory of ourselves.

We will admit to the Goddess, to ourselves, and to another being the exact nature of our magical wrongs.

We will make a list of all persons or beings we have harmed, and become willing to make amends to them all.

We will make direct amends to such beings whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

We are entirely ready to bow before the Goddess and have Her remove all our defect of character, even at the risk of being entirely stripped of our magic.

But this is just the start. There’s something rotten in Little Raven, something that seeks to take all the magic it can, and devour the inhabitants in the process. It will take the strength and power of all the witches to defeat the darkness seeping into their town, beat it back, and be rid of it forever…and maybe just make it through rehab while they’re saving the world.

The Authors & Titles-

Tara S. Wood – A Trunk Full of Peril

Tyffani Clark Kemp – A Diary Full of Names

Cynthia Valero – A Cauldron Full of Goodbyes

Miranda Stork – A Closet Full of Demons

  1. A. Howell – A Basement Full of Secrets

Elle J Rossi – A Suitcase Full of Revenge

Links-

Goodreads ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ B&N

About the Authors-

Miranda Stork-

I’m Miranda Stork, and I’m addicted. Addicted to writing and reading books, anyway. And chocolate, but that’s another issue – no interventions, please.

I live in the middle of a forest in North Yorkshire, spending my spare time as the wild woman of the woods, scaring small children and upsetting the sheep. On the days that I feel like being civilized, or I haven’t got any unicorns to ride, I sit down and pour the tumbling thoughts in my head out onto digital paper. Mainly the thoughts and characters come out in paranormal form, with a good smattering of romance, because everyone likes a good cuddle. But you can also find strong elements of thrillers, myths, and even dystopia amongst the pages of all my novels. I’ve wanted to write books ever since I first realised that fairytales were not the newspapers of the fairy kingdom, but the imaginings of actual people who wanted to tell fancy made-up stories to other people. From that moment, I was hooked.

Why do I write? Good question. It might be easier to just keep the stories in my head, or even just to write them for myself. But I want to share them. There is no greater delight for a writer than when a reader devours your book, and declares, “Something in that novel resonated with me. And I want MORE.” So grab your lucky clover and a baseball bat (there’s some nasty paranormal creatures where we’re going), eat the cookie with ‘eat me’ tagged on it, and enter through the tiny door into the world of Miranda Stork…

And here is an excerpt from A Closet Full of Demons
Counsellor Fitzsimmons finally appeared Catherine sneered down at the buffet of soggy finger sandwiches and half-baked sausage rolls. These meetings always brought out the food snob in her, and this one was no different. Swallowing back her distaste, she settled on a plastic cup of orange squash, hugging her grey woollen coat close as she reached for it. Her dark grey eyes hidden behind fashionable shades, she spun around to view the rest of the reprobates who had turned up.
None of them looked vaguely interesting, but they certainly were eclectic. Catherine stifled a yawn as she checked her silver watch for the twentieth time. It didn’t matter how often she looked, she was certain someone had cast a spell to make the time drag on. Her fingers tingled with the temptation to speed it up, but a droning voice in the back of her head reminded her of the warning she had received. Huffing to herself, she glanced away and curled her hand tightly once more. She winced as she took a sip of the badly mixed juice, scanning the peeling cracks in the ceiling of the building.
Little Raven was a dump, anyway. Catherine had no idea what she was really doing here, never mind getting into trouble here. The only reason she had travelled from England to this goddess-forsaken town was because she had felt it. An energy so strong it had called to her from the other side of the world. But it was dark, full of all the wicked things witches knew they shouldn’t touch. It’s probably why none of them answered its call when I did, Catherine smirked to herself, trying to hide it behind another slurp of tepid liquid. ‘Heavy Magic’, her mother used to call it. Black magic so intense you could lose your head over it, sink into it, drown in it. And never come up for air.
with a clipboard in hand, clearing his throat in the irritating way that only therapists were able to produce. “Ladies? Let’s sit down, shall we?” He smiled broadly, a fakery for the witches gathered in the sparse waiting area. Catherine held back rolling her eyes, and settled for squeezing the empty plastic cup in her hands until it crushed in on itself instead. Dropping it casually onto the table, she tucked a loose strand of her corn-blond hair behind her ear, stepping across to the ring of chairs in the centre with the others.
Catherine settled back in her chair, crossed her legs, and closed her eyes behind her shades. Hopefully I’ll die of boredom before they get to me, she thought to herself, letting out a soft sigh. Counsellor Fitzsimmons prattled on to one of the other witches, droning on about consequences and resolving them. It was all old hat to her—this wasn’t her first meeting of this kind. Rehab. Even the word left a bad taste in her mouth. If only she could spit it out. She was damn well sick of going into it.
It wasn’t that Catherine Middling was a bad person, quite the opposite, in fact. She loved her parents. She loved her friends. And cooing over kitten and puppy videos on YouTube was dangerously close to an online obsession. But she liked to be in control. Of everything. And control required power, lots of it. She had tapped so many sources of energy that she shouldn’t, it was a wonder her fingers were still attached to her hand. A hard shove on her shoulder woke her up, snapping her back into the room with a jolt. Catherine shook her head violently to wake up, and straightened herself in the chair, grunting in annoyance.
The mousey-haired witch next to her hissed, “He was talking to you. Wake up, or we’re going to be here forever.”
Casting the witch a cool stare, Catherine cleared her throat and jerked her head towards the group. “Yeah, uh…I’m Catherine Middling, I’m a magical miscreant, and I’m bored shitless already.” There were a few sniggers and smirks from the other witches, and Catherine gave a hard shrug to the counsellor’s deep frown.
“Now, Catherine…language. You know that’s not going to help. Why not tell us why you’re here?” He gestured towards her shades with a chewed biro. “And how about removing those so we can all see your face? Hmm?”
She sighed. “No way. I don’t remove anything on the first date, counsellor. Besides, why should I? People have turned up here with faces full of paperclips and safety pins, and you want me to take off my Dolce and Gabbana glasses? No chance.” Catherine pointed with one black leather glove towards a punky witch on the other side of the circle, who scowled at her fiercely before turning back to inspect the floor. “Fine. I’m here because I can no longer control my magic. I like to change the circumstances if they’re not working for me. Good enough for you, Counsellor Fitzsimmons?”
Her clipped northern British accent rang out into the room as she folded her arms, hoping to slip back into her nap.
The pen wagged in the air. “Not good enough, Catherine. Tell us a little more. What kind of magic?”
His persistence rankled her, and a pang of deep anger burned through her veins. She sprang forwards in the cheap plastic chair, whipping her glasses off to reveal her eyes. A collective gasp filtered through the witches as they took in the dark, blood-red stains around her grey irises, the sliced scar running across both eyes. The leather of her glove squeaking, Catherine pointed sharply towards them, her voice dripping with venom. “This is what kind. Black magic. This is why I’m here, sat in the middle of the ladies’ knitting circle, with my magical finger stuck up my arse.” She nodded towards a nervous-looking girl, sat literally with a pair of knitting needles in her lap. Goddess only knew what she thought she was doing here, she looked like she was as much out of place as Sandwich Girl. “Because real power, real control, frightens everyone. But it didn’t frighten me. I did something wrong with it, tapped into some real bad juju that split me in half. And my other half still wants to come out. Want to see her? She really doesn’t play well with others.”

 

Links-

Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website

Tara S. Wood-

Tara Wood divides her time between creating domestic bliss and creating hot paranormal romance with the occasional side of kink. When not playing June Cleaver for her hubby and daughter, she can be found at the local Starbucks slamming back Frappuccinos and plotting out her next idea. Or she’s watching the BBC. Tara resides with her wonderful and tolerant family in the suburbs of Houston, Texas. She is currently at work on several projects, one of them being the next book in her In Blood series.

Links-

Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Facebook

Elle J. Rossi-

Elle J Rossi is a writer of Dark Paranormal and Fantasy Romance. Overly fond of the happily ever after, Elle lets her characters take control as they lead her down dark and twisted paths on their haunting journey toward love.

When not writing, you’ll more than likely catch her hanging with her husband, two kids and a cat who truly does rule the roost, or stealing the mic from her friends as the duel over country karaoke.

Links-

Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Facebook

Cynthia Valero-

Cynthia Valero is an award-winning author of three paranormal romance novels and two anthologies written with Beth Ciotta as CB Scott. Her newest solo novella, A Cauldron Full of Goodbyes, is one of six dark and edgy stories in the anthology, Rehab is for Witches. A student of Natalie Goldberg, Zoetrope All-Story, and The Writers Studio, Cynthia is currently writing a rich tale of forbidden love and deadly feuds set off the coast of 1904 America. You can visit her on Facebook at Cynthia Valero Books or at cynthiavalero.com.

Links-

Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Facebook

J.A. Howell-

J.A Howell is an office drone by day, and a writer by night. Her love of writing took off when she was eleven years old and decided to fill a composition notebook with stories to read to her friends. Many years (and notebooks) later, not much has changed. She still loves writing and sharing her works with others. When she isn’t writing, she can often be found trying her hand at whatever artistic pursuit strikes her fancy. J.A. Howell resides in Apopka, FL with her husband and their menagerie of animal children.

Links-

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest ~ Youtube ~ Amazon Author Page

Tyffani Clark Kemp-

Tyffani Clark Kemp might be the quietest person in the room, but that just means she’s probably the biggest freak too. She is a multi-genre author with a gift for the written word and a desire to help all Indies reach their full potential. In 2012, she and her best friend Kimberly Fudge started SideStreet Cookie Publishing for authors who want to remain independent, but don’t have the time or the knowledge to do it all themselves. From the age of eleven she dedicated her life to writing and making sure she was good at her craft. Now, she passes that knowledge on to others. Her friends would describe her as determined and giving. She may be quite, but she always has a story to tell.

Links-

Goodreads ~ Blog/Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Girls Powers-front cover for Amazon

Title: The Mystic Princesses and the Whirlpool | Author: PJ LaRue | Illustrator: Aristides Rodriguez | Publication Date: June 28, 2014 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 63 | Recommended Ages: 5 to 10

Book Description: Join Exciting Princess Adventures and Learn Life Lessons Along the Way

Have you ever wanted to ride a dolphin or dreamed of playing on a rainbow as if it were a waterslide? How would you feel if someone tried to kidnap you, and you were forced to move to Hawai’i to hide and live with people you don’t know? That happened to Harmonie. Come meet Harmonie, her new Mystic Princess friends, and find out what happens when her enemies, the Children of Ares, find her again.

Purchase * Goodreads

 

The Buzz About the Book

“The Mystic Princesses and the Whirlpool has a delightful plot. P. J. LaRue uses mythological characters to tell a lively story of bravery and friendship. The book teaches important lessons on strengths and weaknesses, conservation and safety. This is the first book in the Mystic Princesses series, and I cannot wait for the next princesses’ adventure to come. Young girls will love The Mystic Princesses adventure on their bedside table.” ~ Kelly Santana, Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews

“A lovely book for children with colourful pictures and any child who reads it will be looking for a sequel.” ~ 5 Star Review, Diane, Amazon

“‘The Mystic Princesses and the Whirlpool’ is a confidence boosting book for children, giving them important information. It is the first in a series and I look forward to reading more about Harmonie and her friends.” ~ 5 Star Review, Mary C., Goodreads

“This early chapter book is perfect for children ages six through ten. It does not portray wimpy princesses, but strong, respectful and independent female role models involved in many adventures in which they learn to overcome their weaknesses, act against bullying, and cooperate with friends and family to promote human welfare and peace. Short chapters interspersed with illustrations will maintain interest if the book is read aloud for younger children. Introduce your little princess to this one.” ~ 5 Star Review, Barbara M., Amazon

“The short chapters would make this ideal for younger girls who are newer to reading Chapter Books. The colourful illustrations are excellent, and compliment this warm story nicely. A new series for girls, offering a fun way to learn valuable life lessons.” ~ 5 Star Review, M.J. Kinsmen, Amazon

 

About the Author: PJ LaRue

PJ LaRuePJ LaRue wrote poetry in high school, but she discovered writing children’s books and short stories later in life. Her writing inspirations are hiking, photography and environmental consciousness, but she links these interests to much larger social issues. A person very close to PJ was molested as a child, making PJ passionate about providing child safety tips. And, PJ was bullied in the third grade by girls much larger than she, who demanded that PJ give them her lunch money. As a result, PJ is committed to spreading the word that bullying must be stopped.

One of PJ’s goals is to help educate children, parents and caregivers, in a fun way, using her children’s book series, The Mystic Princesses. Because PJ loves to travel, the princesses will visit many locales, learning about environmental concerns along the way.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Pinterest | Google+ | Goodreads

 

About the Illustrator: Aristides Rodriguez

Aristides Rodriguez has worked with clients to create websites, social media graphics, print graphics, and logos. His print media projects include cards, posters and magazine ads. He is comfortable working with a team, but has also designed client projects independently. While in school, Aristides participated in job shadows to Central Florida design community members including Disney Event Group, Orlando, SeaWorld, Orlando, and large offset and digital printing companies. Currently, Aristides is a Winter Park Tech Advisory Board member.

Website

 

* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Amazon 25 gift card

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)

Contest ends: December 17, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author PJ LaRue and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send an email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

.

MDBR Book Promotion Services

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

TeaserTuesdays2014e

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

~~~

My tease is from

Come Along With Me

A Gracie Book: Volume #1

by Linda Lee Schell

22576187

 

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Here is my tease from page 16 of the paperback.

“My name is Gracie. I’m from a different place in a different space.”

and from page 41

…Gracie wondered aloud, “Do you think our little girl will blow our cover?” “No, Gibson replied. “But she’s got something up her sleeve. I just don’t know what.”

~~~

I hope you don’t mind if I share my review.

Gracie is a wee kangaroo from the thirty-sixth universe. And she’s so excited. She’s finally going to visit St. Petersburg, Russia.

When something goes wrong, she winds up on a farm in St. Clair, Pennsylvania. Not quite what she planned.

Once you meet Gracie, you’ll see why her travel plans went haywire. She’s a precocious little roo, plus she’s clumsy and absent minded.

She’s also very brave and arrives in time to save a rather bedraggled city cat from the ferocious farm dogs.

From then on, Gracie and the cat, Gibson, are in cahoots. Each trying to help the other. Gracie wants to go home. Gibson is trying to make the best of it and make the farm his new home.

This was very wordy in the beginning. The prose felt strange yet familiar. Then I got it. It felt like in Willa Wonka or Alice in Wonderland. Otherworldly and zany. I began to suspect much of this was coming from Gracie, the kangaroo from somewhere else. She is a bit rattle-brained and silly.

The last third of the book flowed more easily. And the plot came forward. There’s several other animals that help or hinder the two pals, and one little girl who teaches Gibson how to earn his keep.

I’d say because of the sometimes peculiar use of words, this would be better suited to the upper range of young children. But, I may be wrong. Kids now a days learn to read before starting school, so they may follow the context better than I give them credit for. But there is a rather dark scene on the farm, something that even shocked me. This book is suggested for kids 8 to 12 and I’d recommend it to those closer to 12.

As I read this adventure I was sure it would be a 3 star rating. But that last third of the book sucked me in and by the time I reached the end, I wanted more.  I felt that connection to the characters and wanted to know what kind of pickle they would land in next. I don’t give half star ratings and that’s why it went up to 4 stars.

4 Stars

~~~

Synopsis

Come Along With Me will transport eight-to twelve-year old children, their parents, and their grandparents to another world when they read Come Along With Me, an adventure about friendship and caring, the unfortunate consequences of jealousy, and the power of hope.

Meet Gracie, a ditzy dwarf kangaroo from the Thirty-sixth Universe–a creature who lives in a perfect realm. Because she is bored, Gracie longs for an adventure to St. Petersburg, Russia, a place she imagines is filled with beauty and enchantment. Much to the tiny ‘roo’s surprise, her ability to transport herself to the land of the czars has failed. She ends up at a dairy farm in St. Clair, Pennsylvania, where she saves the life of Gibson, an abandoned Maine coon cat.

The unlikely pair become fast friends. While Gracie tries to find her way back home, Gibson carves a life for himself on a farm with his newly adopted mistress, the farmer’s young daughter. There’s one hitch: The overworked farmer demands that Gibson earn his keep. Gibson’s task is thwarted somewhat when he experiences strange visions. But are these visions the result of a thrashing he received from the farmer’s two dogs? Or, maybe Gibson sees parallel universes?

As outsiders the little kangaroo and the cat from the city negotiate the perils of farm life. They meet two malicious rats who hate anyone who is happy. The two devoted friends must contend with stampeding cows and a barnyard of critters that have little use for newcomers.

Will Gibson keep his sanity and become the little girl’s pet? Will Gracie ever see the splendor of the Russian Versailles? Will the farmer survive the evil machinations of the rats, Bratwold and Eastman? Drift back to the days of Barbie dolls, hula hoops, and Sputnik to find out.

~~~

About the author


Linda’s favorite genre is fantasy/adventure, and her goal is to expand the imaginations of children while simultaneously exposing them to a variety of cultures and histories.

Combining childhood innocence with historical verisimilitude and a dash of magical fantasy–that was Linda’s impulse behind writing her first book, Come Along With Me.

Linda was born in Youngstown, Ohio and moved in 1977 to St. Clairsville, Ohio. Her husband of forty-four years and one son now live in Venice, Florida.

Linda is the daughter of an Ohio dairy farmer and an elementary school teacher. Her working years were in a competitive sales and business environment.

Active in Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce, she is a Paul Harris Fellow.

Entering the work force at age sixteen Linda is now retired, and is seriously devoting her attention to writing children’s books.

You can find her on Goodreads HERE.

Other books in The Gracie Series

20728903

~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

stick out tongue photo: rr-sticking-out-tongue roadrunner-stick-out-tongue.gif